Tipnspin tip-up review as promised(kinda long)

[Papa Sly]

Good evening ice anglers, every year I look to find the ultimate tip-up and thought I had finally found the "one"...boy was I wrong.I was shocked to find out that this was designed by an ice fisherman with over 50 years of experience!!! I have used many different types to include Polar, HT, Beaver Dam, Jack Traps, Heratige Lakers, 40 up, and Indian Hill. I thought these would give me the best of both worlds, a high trap but able to see the fish is running. If you can get the fish to not drop the bait then they will work.
Problem # 1- Although these wooden tip-ups are made of Ash one is already cracked near the spool only being used 5times! I have Lakers that are 40 years old without this problem.
The big problem: the spool is a horizontal spool like any of the rail style tip-ups which ALL of them have a rotating line guide to follow the direction the fish is running. It's only common sense for even the cheaper $15 plastic ones up to the expensive $40 dollar Beaver Dams. This tip-up is $80 Each!!!! The line guide is fixed to the wood at the bottom of the tip-up so I am sure most of you already know the problem. I used them for 5 days straight with 3 other long time fisherman and we ALL experienced the same thing several times. As you can imagine if the fish runs in the opposite direction that the guide is facing it is VERY difficult for it to get line. It was pulling the tip-up to the side of the hole and slamming onto the ice causing the fish to obviously drop the bait. Especially if its a bass who runs side ways and not straight down...again common sense!
I sent an E-Mail to the company thinking it wasnt set up right or something and nope, its right.
He sent a response nack saying that every trap has its faults but these trap were designed to see at 100 yards??? I didnt have a problem with seeing them. I then sent another e-mail explaining the problem again and got this"We have sold over 5000 tip ups and have not had any complaints of that." He did offer if I took my time to go and pay to mail back the one with the crack he would replace it???Good customer service would have just sent a new trap seeing these are the most expensive on the market at $80 EACH unspooled!!!!. He then said it happened because I was fishing in under 1 foot of ice ?and snow should hold the tip-up from sliding to the side??? I must be ice fishing in a different world!I was looking for an answer to the problem and the nect 2 responses I got were :"The fact is thats, my design", and "I did not force you to buy them" horrible customer service.
This is a sponsor for this site and I believe they should be reviewed if this is the sarcasim they treat our members with!!!
In closing for the most expensive tip-ups I have ever seen unspooled you would think they would work properly in any amount of ice and/or snow. Dont but this as the original concept was great but the design was PURE JUNK. The last thing is I have included a picture of the wood one and the line guide. I find it funny after talking to this guy today he decides to put a picture up???

[Brian VT]

Hmm. How did you get Ash ones? And you paid $80?
I figured I'd give them a chance since they're a site sponsor and made in USA so I ordered 2 for a Christmas gift for my nephew.
They have very rugged ABS "sticks". And they are $40 each. Not $80.
When they got here I was really impressed with the materials and hardware. And I messed with them a bit and they seemed to work great.
But I haven't fished with them. So I can't dispute your claims of them costing you fish due to the reel position. I'm just curious how you got the ash sticks and why those were $80.

[Papa Sly]

I would have rather got the plastic but they were not available so I sold 2 sets of traps to buy the only ones they had available at the time.If you still have them try to pull sideways opposite of the line guide. Have you ever seen a horizontal spool with a fixed line guide...I never have and their service is horrible!

[HWeber]

You don't like their design, what in the world is their customer service suppose to do to fix that

[Papa Sly]

It wont because you cant, they should just offer money back. Its not if you like the design, its that it doesnt work and anyone who knows how tip-ups work can see it is wrong.

[Brian VT]

I would have rather got the plastic but they were not available so I sold 2 sets of traps to buy the only ones they had available at the time.If you still have them try to pull sideways opposite of the line guide. Have you ever seen a horizontal spool with a fixed line guide...I never have and their service is horrible!

I only had them here for a few hours before I re-boxed them and mailed them to my nephew for Christmas.
I was really impressed with them while just playing with them in my office.
But I defer to someone's review that has fished them. How they perform is the bottom line. Bummer to hear about the guide problem and the seller's response.

[Brian VT]

I went back to their website because the guide on yours didn't look familiar to me.
The guide on the website (the ones I got) looks much different. I can't say if it works better, but it's different.
It may still have the same problem, or maybe it solves it?, but I thought I'd point it out.

https://www.tipnspin.com/

[FreshwaterPhil]

My first reaction to seeing them on the site was that seemed a bit sketchy, although I also figured the design would be particularly useful on snowy days, to avoid have flags buried and non functional. Personally, I'm happy with my Big game HT tip ups, have a dozen of them, and they cost me under $20 each.

As time goes by and more people on here test the tipnspins, we'll have more accurate assessments of what they are actually worth.

[Iceassin]

I have one of the Ash ones. Actually won it in drawing they posted on this site so didn't cost me anything. And even though I have yet to try it, I too am not impressed with it. Although the little fishy flag is cute, when it trips, that large spring it's attached to "snaps" pretty hard and creates a bit of a wobble to the entire tip up. And...there is no tension setting on it. There is just one slot that the tip hooks into. And it takes a pretty good tug to trip it. It is just not a very "smooth operator". So I highly doubt that I will try it live. Just not real confident in it.

[esox_xtm]

Thanks for the review Phil. Not surprising to see cracks at the end of the sticks. That's just an accident waiting for an excuse. Thing is that is something that can be easily remedied. I'd put an aluminum cap or band on both ends to insure zero cracks for the life of the tipup. That may be something you can do to rescue the ones you already have especially since you saw some value in the premise if the idea. I'd have to ponder a rotating line guide solution for a bit but I expect it's doable.

I've been a long time user of HT Polar products and have around 3 dozen of the things. I always buy (new or more often now used) if the price is right. Over the years I've made mods to facilitate my use and those have now become standard on any Polar or Polar clone I buy. I've made suggestions to HT but apparently that's not happening. I figure the cost of adding manufacturing step(s)/extra components and/or minor re-tooling simply isn't worth it to them.

Thing is I do like the premise of being able to see it spin more easily at a distance. My old eyes ain't what they used to be. In fact I'm working on another Polar mod to address that. Now it won't stick up a foot or more but now I can easily see that shaft spinning 60 (or so) feet away. Much better than trying to catch a glint of that tiny crossbar in the sun or flashlight.

In fairness to Tip-n-Spin, going into production often reveals flaws not anticipated or experienced in pre-production testing. I'll guess this is a one man operation with limited budget, hence the reticence to satisfy complaints. For me, when I had a basement business, I always made material/manufacturing defects good. Unsatisfied customers are not good commercials. Since he is a sponsor here I hope he gets this figured out.

[hardwater diehard]

The line guide/bait keeper should free spin with the spool ...having it fixed would present a huge problem . It could cause unnecessary tension on the line should a fish grab it and run 180 deg opposite of guide/bait keeper...may cause the fish to drop the bait . It could be an easy fix or redesign.

[Iceassin]

The line guide/bait keeper should free spin with the spool ...having it fixed would present a huge problem . It could cause unnecessary tension on the line should a fish grab it and run 180 deg opposite of guide/bait keeper...may cause the fish to drop the bait . It could be an easy fix or redesign.

X2

[Papa Sly]

Thank you guys, I knew anyone with some time on the ice would understand my delima. my fault for spending $400 on something that was not tested by a experienced fishenman. I guess they will be kindling and now I have to buy more tip-ups. I should have stayed with the Lakers for my lots of snow choice as I love my beaver dams for less snow or bare ice. My problem with the owner is his comments that no body made me buy them and I guess these are only good if you pack snow around the cross bars and have over a foot of snow!!!

[esox_xtm]

Just out of curiosity how are the spools secured? Threaded shaft and nut or some other way?

[Papa Sly]

Just out of curiosity how are the spools secured? Threaded shaft and nut or some other way?

There is a long shaft that goes through the entire tip-up and is the flag shaft as well so when the spool turns it turns the flag/fish. Cant see how the spool is attached to the wire shaft, no nut and no weld.

[Iceassin]

There is a long shaft that goes through the entire tip-up and is the flag shaft as well so when the spool turns it turns the flag/fish. Cant see how the spool is attached to the wire shaft, no nut and no weld.

Yup. Which means before any line can be taken from the spool , after the fish has taken the bait, the shaft/spring/flag has to become vertical. And there is some resistance before this happens. Not ideal for shy, light biting fish.

Kinda curious as to why TIPNSPIN hasn't come on here and "commented on our comments".   

[esox_xtm]

I caught a glimpse of the bottom of that spool and that seems like another accident just tapping it's foot. Even if the shaft is staked and perhaps heated a bit and pushed on I'd be leery of that spool sliding off when I least expected. Kind limits some of the ideas I had for customizing into a serviceable product.

Unless there are some threads on that shaft and the spool is screwed onto it...
 

[kmu70]

My nephew has these but there farely old. not 100% sure but i believe they dont have that guide problem .everything else is same. i thought this company was out of business.is this same company or someone buy rights and start making again. i seen the abs ones and was thinking about buying, now i have second thoughts

[Tip-n-spin]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/R9sLJFGGwNUn1wQB6.   



So I put the tipup on a box and threaded the line through  the side of the box to imitate being on the ice to show that our new and improved tipups work just fine. Check out the video and photos.⁹ I faced the line guide away from the direction the line was being pulled and the flag tripped just fine, it moved in the hole a little bit but being in the water and will make that substantial less. Like I told Mr McCauley to make specific things happen like the flag that spins there is a give and take to make that happen, for instance, the rail traps get covered by 6"of snow but the work ultra smooth, tipnspin are a little jerky but you can see if you have a fish on up to a hundred yds away, its just physics.

[Iceassin]

I'm just gonna stick with my HT ETU-10's (no longer made). Durable, smooth, large spool, adjustable drag and flag sticks up in the air at about 2'. I typically set up from a distance that I am able to see them so that is not an issue. Good luck to you and your product.

[sbuffaloice]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/R9sLJFGGwNUn1wQB6.   



So I put the tipup on a box and threaded the line through  the side of the box to imitate being on the ice to show that our new and improved tipups work just fine. Check out the video and photos.⁹ I faced the line guide away from the direction the line was being pulled and the flag tripped just fine, it moved in the hole a little bit but being in the water and will make that substantial less. Like I told Mr McCauley to make specific things happen like the flag that spins there is a give and take to make that happen, for instance, the rail traps get covered by 6"of snow but the work ultra smooth, tipnspin are a little jerky but you can see if you have a fish on up to a hundred yds away, its just physics.

Sorry but for $80 a pop, I dont want a "give and take" or have to finesse it to work just right. Appreciate the effort, but ill stick to my tried and trues

[Tip-n-spin]

They are not $80. They are $40.

[Iceassin]

They are not $80. They are $40.

The ones made of Ash?

[Tip-n-spin]

Yes, the ash ones were the original tipnspin the new and improved are the abs plastic ones in the photos

[Papa Sly]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/R9sLJFGGwNUn1wQB6.   



So I put the tipup on a box and threaded the line through  the side of the box to imitate being on the ice to show that our new and improved tipups work just fine. Check out the video and photos.⁹ I faced the line guide away from the direction the line was being pulled and the flag tripped just fine, it moved in the hole a little bit but being in the water and will make that substantial less. Like I told Mr McCauley to make specific things happen like the flag that spins there is a give and take to make that happen, for instance, the rail traps get covered by 6"of snow but the work ultra smooth, tipnspin are a little jerky but you can see if you have a fish on up to a hundred yds away, its just

First off please get my name right...Cauley. Second did you see how jerky that is. Third the video DOES NOT show the line being pulled opposite of the line guide. Fourth there were 4 other people who watched what I said happens actually happen. Please do noy insinuate that I am not telling the truth, I was just trying to help a small guy who is a sponsor here and spend more then I ever have before. Lastly we have to be a lot closer to tip-ups here than 300 feet so that is a moot point. You offered NOTHING to reslove the problem with these and now others have had the same problems as I have!

[Papa Sly]

They are not $80. They are $40.

With all due respect that is a straight up lie...you charged me $80 each for the wooden ones which were the only ones you had. I have a problem with the wooden ones and you put up a video with the plastic ones and a totally different line guide...SMH. Please tell the truth!!!!

[Papa Sly]

Listen guys I knew this guy was going to screw me over after emailing him however he is straight up lying now. He DID charge me $80 each NOT $40 and then tried to defend himself by showing a different tip-up with a different line guide. I am reporting him to both the better business bureau as well as the Maine state attorney general. I emailed him 7 times giving him the opportunity to make it right and his answer was I was fishing in ice under a foot and there was not enough snow to hold the trap in place????You got to be kidding me. I had my own small business and the customer was ALWAYS right , I NEVER argued with the customer. He could have made this right and even though the tip-ups are a great idea if you can only use them in over 12 inches of ice and only when there is a lot of snow are they really worth $80?? I posted the review as I promised I would and I have been ice fishing over 50 years. For him to insinuate that I am not being honest is a insult.

[wyogator]

I think we owe Papa Sly a big shout-out for his unbiased opinion and review.  Thanks!

[stripernut]

Thanks for the review Papa Sly. I too can clearly see the design flaw with the line guide on the wood traps.

Many, many winters ago I has a few traps with the green running flag, in the end, I found I was on my way to the trap as soon as the flag went up, whether it was running or not, so I gave away the traps with the running flag. I use my old lakers, big flag nice and high. If I fished trout shallow, I would get a set of traps with horizontal spools, but I rarely do.

I would think to rig a tilt with something like the green running flag a magnet on the side of the spool and a shaft with a spring that could "flip" the shaft a quarter going to the side and spring back with each rotation of the spool, would give little resistance to the fish...

[HWeber]

Both sides suck. You can't buy a product, hate the design, use it anyway and expect a refund. At the same time it seems to be a mediocre product. No props to anyone.